Although it's true that piggies are herd animals, if this is your first one, you may want to just try the one for a bit and see how it goes before jumping in with another! I still have one, been about 3 months, and just thinking now after getting used to all the work for Orvis about a second one.

I think that caring for two is not much harder than caring for one, if at all. And it is better for the pig to have a companion. Since you live so close to Kleenmama, Kirbygirl, she can assist you in finding a buddy. I live in WA state, too, in Auburn.

The swimming pool sounds like a really good idea, unfortunately we have a dog that won't quit smelling the cage. We aren't sure if he'd be nice to the guinea pig or not, so I want to keep it in an enclosed space. I think the C&C cages would be better at keeping the dog out.

Orvis- Is that tube you have in the pool the aluminum heat duct stuff? Cause that's a really good idea. It also looks like you have bricks in there.

I'll look in to finding her a "nanny". I'll have to ask kleenmama if she could help when we go there. It's probably easier to adopt a piggie, because then are more likely used to people holding them, and maybe less shy, right?

Kirby - I should have asked if you have any other pets before mentioning the pool! Dogs and cats have a natural instinct to be predators and if your piggie runs, they will probably chase her (and maybe try to eat her) - so the pool is not a good idea unless you have a place where you can shut the door.

One thing I would recommend is to make sure the cage is not near any drafts - Orvis got a cold when I first got him and the vet mentioned this, I moved the cage away from an air conditioning vent.

Yes the heat duct stuff from Home Depot is what that is, but it was around $8 which is high and a lot of people on here said their piggies won't go in it because it's dark. I saw one also at Home Depot that was a black plastic drainage tube, in the garden section, that had holes all through it, I would imagine that might be better. The edges are less sharp and he chews on the tape I have on the edges of this tube, that was an old picture, I actually threw that tube in the picture away about a week ago.

PS the bricks have 2 purposes, one he likes to get on top of his house, and two so his nails scratch on the bricks and it files them down - the vet charges $10 for a nail clipping! I am too nervous to do it myself yet cause he is very jumpy!

Good luck, the rooster seems to come with an ATTITUDE. It took me 20 minutes to get his Baytril dose in his tummy this morning, he was not having any of that nasty stuff. Why does it have to be so gross? He loved the Bactrim, but of course that didn't work...

If you don't want to use the heat duct stuff, or have the space for it, there are also short cardboard tubes you can buy in pet stores. Over here they are called 'Chubes' as the animals can chew on them too if they want. You get them in 3 sizes ranging from hamster, pig/ferret and bunny.

Like your piggy pool Orvis! It's probably better for containing the hay and stuff than my fully free range set-up. Mine sometimes end up with hay being dragged around with them when they have a mad speed moment, dashing through their cardboard boxes.

I've found no real difference between having one pig and two. What you do gain is seeing the piggies interacting with each other and having fun or just being content snoozing together.

My Secret Santa gave the boys a huge chube, which Jules has claimed. He likes it much better than anything else in the pen.

I have three now. I think that pigs should at least be kept in pairs. I think it makes a difference in their quality of life. Not to mention that they are even more entertaining with a companion or two, and it's not much more work.

You lucky duck! I wish I lived so close to KM. Her hay is fabulous. It's the shipping that costs the most.

The topic of how many piggies to have is a heated one. I guess I was thinking, if I was a parent, and I had a daughter who just got a guinea pig for the first time, I would definitely want to see how it went before I bought another. Also, caring for more than one may not be more expensive but the vet care is expensive, food is expensive, everything adds up, and if mom and dad are being told they have to buy another one, they may not like it.

It's one thing if a person is paying for things themselves, but if I was living at home and I told my mom those things, I can just imagine what she and my dad would say..."When you pay the bills you can have 100 guinea pigs...in my house it's my way not yours, etc etc etc"

I guess I had the idea that this nice new person was a young girl still living at home with parents, maybe I am wrong.

I also do believe that one piggie can be happy if he gets enough TLC. Just my own personal opinion! Don't flog me please! :-)

Also and this is most certainly not the case here I am sure, if a person happens to get a pig for the first time and - god forbid - it didn't work out, then you have 2 piggies with no home...best to go slow...

Orvis- That is almost exactly what my mom said! Yea, I made sure she wasn't by any drafts. I wouldn't want her to get sick.

I think that for now at least I'll stick with one, and see how that works out. She should be happy enough, because she has all of us paying attention to her, petting her, and holding her. She is also a lot less shy than she was when we first got her. If she seems unhappy though, then I'll consider finding her a friend.

I saw the chubes at petsmart, but wasn't sure if I should get one or not. Maybe next time we go there, I'll get one.

Also and this is most certainly not the case here I am sure, if a person happens to get a pig for the first time and - god forbid - it didn't work out, then you have 2 piggies with no home...best to go slow...

But then the poor pig is moved to a new family and is still all by herself. Most pigs prefer a buddy. After all, it's not like you're there all day, right? You go to work, you go to school. I would consider the needs of the animal here, and companionship of it's own kind is a need, in my opinion.

Sorry Lisam I stick to my viewpoint! I think a new pet owner in general should go slow and make sure it's a good fit. It's well known that most people on here feel like if you don't have at least 2 you are not a good pig owner but sorry I just don't agree. There is never just one right way to do things in life!

Also, I worked in a shelter for some time and just because pets may be brought in together doesn't mean they will stay together. In fact for some pets being separated from their companion visibly adds to their trauma of being in a shelter. But let's not go there! This piggie will not be in a shelter I am sure.

PS My husband is home all day, so in concession to what you say, if we were both gone all day I would probably get another one...I would love to have a lady friend for Orvis and maybe have a litter (?) then get him snipped - ouch! - but this is all dreams, we can't afford any more pets right now.